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I ignore him, not letting his words penetrate. “How does that feel? Can you take a step?”
There’s a brief pause, and then he takes a step forward. His body sways a little, but he recovers, using his crutch to take his weight. “Jesus Christ, my back.”
“It’s hurting?”
He nods.
“You’ve been stuck in bed, it’s normal. Take a second.”
He takes another step.
“Slow.”
Another step.
I swipe my sweaty palms over my thighs. “How’s that?”
“Feels… good. Fine.”
“Good. That’s good. Let’s get to the door and then come back to the bed.”
He makes his way around the room and past the door.
“Okay, now back to the bed.” I follow behind him, my arms braced and ready to take his weight if needed. “Lance.”
He stops, twisting his head over his shoulder. Pain mars his brow, but his sole focus is on me. “Hmm?”
“Back to the bed.”
He carries on toward the bathroom in his room. “I’ll be taking a piss in the toilet from now on, if that’s okay.”
I follow him. “Please, be careful.” I stop on the threshold of the bathroom and watch as he twists, not using the crutch and balancing on one leg, his body swaying so heavily, he has to reach for the wall. “Jesus shit,” I cringe.
“It’s fine,” he reassures me, pushing the door closed in my face.
I run my hands through my hair and take a moment.
Am I being unprofessional with him?
I’d never swear in front of a patient. Ever. I shouldn’t even be in here. I should go find a nurse—or his actual doctor. He needs his doctor and his friends and his family, not me.
“Scarlet, I need you a sec.”
“Shit.” I close my eyes and step toward the door. “What with?”
“I’m bleeding a little bit.”
I reach for the handle and open the door, finding him standing in the middle of the bathroom with a towel held against his hand.
“What happened?”
“The cannula came out, and I tried sticking it back in, and it started bleeding.”
“You…” I walk to where he’s standing (with no damn crutch near him) and reach for his hand. “Let me see.”
He pulls back the towel to show me, and I instantly look up, his tall frame towering over me, his face set in aI didn’t do anythingexpression.
“You’ve butchered that.”
